LOS ANGELES – If USC’s offense was not struggling, its special teams might be a bigger focus at the midway point of the season.

A recurring issue is not having enough players on the field for punts, field goals or punt returns, which resulted in penalties or unnecessary timeouts.

“There’s no excuse for it,” special teams coach John Baxter said Wednesday. “Substitutions are the toughest part of the game. The bottom line is the right guy has to be in.”

Baxter said one reason for USC’s problems is inexperience because he is using younger players this season on special teams.

“We have a huge influx of young players,” Baxter said. “They are experiencing a lot for the first time and screwing some of it up.

“We are who we are.”

So who is USC from a special teams viewpoint?

“I guess you could draw your own conclusions,” Baxter said.

The Trojans burned a timeout against Washington because guard John Martinez was on the field-goal team for the first time but forgot and went to the sideline before Andre Heidari attempted a field goal.

“He ran off,” Baxter said. “Temporary insanity.”

After the timeout, Washington blocked Heidari’s field-goal attempt.

Big-game Williams

Head coach Lane Kiffin said freshman defensive tackle Leonard Williams played his best game of the season against Washington. Williams helped strip the ball from Huskies quarterback Keith Price inside the 5-yard line and finished with 1.5 sacks.

“I’m feel I’m a lot better now (than before the season),” Williams said.

“He’s making a huge impact,” Kiffin said. “He doesn’t get rattled. He’s just one of those rare guys who can come in as a true freshman and not just play but make an impact.”

Williams is an SEC defensive lineman, according to Kiffin.

“If you study the draft, that’s where they come from (the South),” Kiffin said. “They are big and physical and strong.”

Left tackle alternating

Kiffin said sophomore Aundrey Walker and freshman Max Tuerk each will play at left tackle against Colorado. Tuerk played a blocking tight end role against Washington and graded well, Kiffin said.

Meanwhile, Torin Harris and Josh Shaw are alternating at cornerback during practices.

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